The Chicago Bears have been hitting the 2022 NFL trade deadline hard. With only a couple of hours left as I write this, the team has traded away its two defensive captains Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith. Ryan Poles received a fourth-rounder from the Eagles for Quinn despite most people claiming Quinn wouldn’t net a return more than a fifth-rounder. Then, Poles sends Smith to the Ravens for a second-round pick and fifth-round pick. This move has now led to a third trade as the Chicago Bears now trade for wide receiver, Chase Claypool.
This offseason, many of us were confused as to what Ryan Poles was doing with the offense. Some, even myself at times, questioned if Poles truly believed in quarterback, Justin Fields. Well, these three moves signify that he either trusts Fields or he sees that he’s been doing everything he can without much help and he wants to see what he can do with a player like Claypool.
As we look at this move, there are plenty of emotions coming in from both sides. However, we need to slow down and look at the actual trade and the big picture of everything. Many fans are screaming on social media that this move is an overpay. I’m here to explain why it really is not.
Chase Claypool can help the Chicago Bears offense now and later
As Ryan Poles sent Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith to other teams, it probably sent a bit of a shock to the locker room. Some players may not have liked seeing these two guys go and might have been feeling that the team was starting a fire sale. A move like this for Chase Claypool signifies a different approach. It means that the team is looking to the future, while also helping bring the development of Justin Fields along. It also means the team is hopefully shifting from defense to offense.
Claypool should bring a skill set to this team that it is lacking. We have seen multiple wide receivers attempt to high-point a ball and come away with an incompletion — essentially a drop. Kmet has had drop issues at times too, but when it comes to contested catches, Claypool seems to make more of them than he drops.
Now, Claypool can come in and help Justin Fields develop faster. It allows Fields and him to develop chemistry this year instead of waiting to find a receiver to pair with him in 2023. This brings me to my second point.